***Disclaimer: because Vietn@m is a closed country, I can’t talk a lot about our mini$try this month.***
This month, we have been living in Ho Chi Minh City and have been partnering with a local coffee shop to teach English. The coffee shop is unique in the way they operate. All year around, there is always a western volunteer who works at the coffee shop to teach conversational English. People can come and enjoy some Vietnamese coffee and food and sit upstairs with the English-speaking westerners. Unlike most of the English clubs in Ho Chi Minh, the speaking rooms do not have an agenda or certain topic to speak about. People can practice their English through conversations and listening.
This month we have been volunteering at the shop in 5 hour shifts. We each help facilitate conversations in the English rooms and have learned about the Vietnamese culture through this. It has been interesting to ask questions about culture, politics, religion, etc. and in return, we share about America.
Depending on the time of day, there is usually anywhere between 2 to 30 locals that come to practice English, and we have even had a few Europeans stop by to practice.
Over the past few weeks, we have gotten to know a few people very well, and have made friendships outside of the coffee shop. It has been a great way to learn about people and build relationships. This has been a fun way to teach English, and I love working in a coffee shop! More updates to come soon!
